For those of you just catching up, we’ve run into a problem with a wayward pipe causing problems severe enough to possibly scrap this whole project, so now I’m doing the only grown-up thing I can think of: drowning my sorrows in liquor (my husband, as always, is being a better grown-up by not drinking and not wallowing).

Originally, this was Whiskey Sour Week but in keeping with the theme of this house project, “WSW” ran into a problem too. The issue with this drink rests solely on the shoulders of the bourbon .

I’m very particular about my Whiskey Sours. The base should be a flavorful bourbon with sharp, jagged edges that can be rounded and smoothed out by the addition of fresh lemon and simple syrup (or agave, or honey depending on the state of your pantry). In my world, it’s acceptable to use Scotch in a Whisky Sour, but only when it’s so peaty and iodine-y it verges on the flavor of a stale band-aid. Oban, a Scotch that is dry and smoky and tastes of sea air, is not an appropriate base for this cocktail. Neither are most ryes. Why cover up their glorious mixture of sun beams, fresh-cut grass, spice, and licorice?

In case it’s not obvious, I really like the flavor of distilled beverages and that’s where the problem with this week’s drink comes in. Firestone & Robertson is a new distillery in Fort Worth and I was so hopeful I would love love love their product, but I didn’t love it at all. The bottle I purchased lacked depth and it was not robust – as their label promised. It was, well, nothing. In internet speak, meh and meh does not make a fantastic Whiskey Sour. I tried adding a brandied cherry, which made a prettier drink, but it did nothing to make this concoction more drinkable. I still want to love what F&R is doing and I will give them another shot – after I’ve forgiven them for lying to me on their label, which will take years.

As luck would have it, hours later my husband found a bottle of Anchor’s Old Potrero I had stashed at the back of the liquor cabinet (sometimes it’s best if I hide the really good stuff from myself…).

As Mick Jagger is known to say, “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you just might find you get what you need.” Just like this little house project of ours, I really wanted a perfect Whiskey Sour. Instead I got a glass of my favorite Rye, neat – and it was just what I needed. Let’s hope we’re as lucky with the house.

Mark Bittman’s Whiskey Sour

¾ cup whiskey (or whisky if you’re using something from Scotland, Canada, or Japan)
2 tablespoons sugar syrup (or to taste)
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine the whiskey, sugar, and lemon juice in a shaker; add ice and shake.

Strain into cocktail glasses or pour with ice into cocktail glasses to serve on the rocks. Garnish with a brandied cherry if you’re not very happy with your choice of alcohol.

Coming next week: What to drink when half of the kitchen for your yet-to-be-built house is finished ahead of schedule and now sits in the middle of the living room of your current “old” house.